Gear-operated screw-plunger.



PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

0.00m. GEAR OPERATED somzw PLUNGER.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.30,1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Oct. 9, 1906. 7

Application filed September 30,1905- Serial No. 280,778.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN DORN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Gear-Operated Screw- Plungersf of which the following isa specification.

My invention consists of certain details of constructioniwhereby agear-operated screwplunger can be readily relieved from the control ofthe primary member of the gearing when desired, or when it has reached acertain predetermined position can be released from that member of thegearing with which it is normally in engagement.

For purposes of illustration I have in the drawings shown thegear-operated screwplunger as applied to an automatic lubricator,although it may, as will be evident, be used in connection With theplunger of a press orin other relations, if desired. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic lubiicatorprovided with ,a gear-actuated screw-plunger in accordance with theinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the line a a, Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 1 represents the cup for containing the lubricant, thelatter being preferably of semisolid character, although it may be inliquid form, if desired. Fitting snugly within this cup is a plunger 2,which is swiveled or mounted so as to be free to ro-' tate upon thelower end of a threaded stem 3, the latter being adapted to a threadedopening in the cap or cover 4 of the cup, so that as said stem isrotated the plunger 2 will be caused to move up or down in the cupwithout, however, having any movement of rotation imparted to it.

The screw-stem 3 is flattened on one or both sides and is also reducedin diameter at the top, as shown at 5, at which point it is alsoprovided with a handle 6, whereby it may be rotated by hand whendesired.

The flattened screw-stem 3 passes through a central opening in aspur-wheel 7, which which rests upon the top of the cap 4 and mesheswith a worm 9, secured to a shaft 10, the latter being adapted tobearings 11, one of which is carried by a ring 12 at the top of the cupand the other by a bracket 13, projecting from said ring.

The teeth of the spur-wheel 7 are strai htfaced, so that such wheel canbe readily lifted from its engagement with the worm 9 when it is desiredto rotate the screw-stem 3 by hand, and the reduced portion 5 of thescrewstem is of less diameter than the narrowest portion of the openingin the spur-wheel, so

that when the plunger 2 has been fully de,

pressed further rotation of the wheel will have no effect upon thescrew-stem, and injury to the parts, such as would be caused byexcessive movement of the latter, is thus prevented.

In order to prevent accidental release of the spur-wheel 7 from meshwith the worm 9, when the cup is so mounted as to have verticalreciprocating movement, a retainingfinger Sis pivotally mounted upon thebracket 13, so that it can overlap the spur-wheel, as shown, or can beswung laterally out of engagement therewith. when it is desired to liftthe spur-wheel on the stem 3. I

The shaft 10 is driven by ratchet-and-pawl mechanism operated by aswinging yoke 25; but this forms no part of my present invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. The combination of a threaded stem, a nut engagedthereby, and gearing for rotating said stem, said gearing comprising aspurwheel engaging the stem, and a worm meshing with the spur-wheel butfrom which the latter can be readily freed by vertical movement on thestem so as to permit rotation of the latter independent of the worm,substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a threaded stem, a nut engaged thereby, andgearing for rotating said stem, said gearing comprising a spurwheelengaging the stem, a worm meshing with the spur-wheel but from which thelatter can be readily freed by vertical movement on the stem so as topermit rotation of the latter independently of the worm, and a movableretainer for temporarily confining said spur-wheel to the nut,substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a threaded stem 1 In testimony whereof I havesigned my having a reduced upper end, a nut engaged name to thisspecification in the presence of by said stern, and gearing for rotatingsaid two subscribing Witnesses.

stern, one of the elements of said gearing be- CHRISTIAN .DORN. 5 ing aspur-wheel engaging the stern but free Witnesses:

to turn on the reduced upper portion of the l KATE A. BEADLE,

same, substantially as specified. i Jos. H. KLEIN.

